Oct. 28, 2009
Week 11: Complete Illinois Match Notes (PDF) 
Game 17: MICHIGAN STATE (9-3-4, 2-3-2 Big Ten) at ILLINOIS (6-7-3, 1-4-2)
Friday, Oct. 30 // 7 p.m. CT // Illinois Soccer Stadium // Champaign, Ill.
On The Air
TV: Big Ten Network (Kenn Tomasch and Kyndra de St Aubin)
** Delayed broadcast will air on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. CT**
Radio: Delayed on Illini Sports Network - WDWS AM 1400 (Brian Moline and Spencer Turkin)
Live on fightingillini.com
Livestats: GameTracker linked on fightingillini.com
Game 18: MICHIGAN (5-7-5, 0-2-5) at ILLINOIS
On The Air
Radio: LIVE on Illini Sports Network - WDWS AM 1400 (Brian Moline and Kristy Weeks)
Livestats: GameTracker linked on fightingillini.com
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For Openers
This year, Illinois is:
• 6-0-1 when scoring at least two goals
• 5-0-0 when leading at the half
• 5-0-1 when scoring first
Illini Host Final Home Matches Of Season
Illinois plays its final two home matches of the season this weekend, hosting Michigan State at 7 p.m. on Friday and Michigan at 1 p.m. on Sunday. All fans who show a football ticket to Illinois' game against Michigan on Saturday will receive free admission to either game.
Friday's match against the Spartans will be aired on the Big Ten Network on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. CT. It's Illinois' third game of the season on the BTN, with Kenn Tomasch and Kyndra de St Aubin calling the action.
Sunday is Senior Day, where graduating seniors Courtney Bell, Brittany Garrett, Chichi Nweke and Jackie Santacaterina will be honored pregame with their families.
Scouting Michigan State
Michigan State has a strong overall record of 9-3-4, going undefeated during the non-conference schedule. The Spartans stand at 2-3-2 in the Big Ten, and are coming off of a home win against Minnesota last Sunday. Their offense took a big hit in the win against the Gophers, however, as top scorer Laura Heyboer fractured her leg while scoring the game-winning goal and will be out the rest of the year. Michigan State still has a prolific scorer in senior Lauren Hill, who has eight goals and 18 points on the season. Defensively, Michigan State has allowed just 11 goals all season.
• Illinois-Michigan State Series: Illinois owns a 10-3-2 advantage over the Spartans in the all-time series, not losing to MSU since 2002. Last meeting: Illinois 0, Michigan State 0 in Big Ten Tournament. MSU won 4-3 in penalty kicks (Nov. 6, 2008 in Iowa City, Iowa).
About Michigan
Michigan owns a 0-2-5 record in Big Ten play, most recently tying Minnesota and Wisconsin at home. The Wolverines have been tough to score on this season, allowing just two goals in the past five games. Freshman keeper Haley Kopmeyer has five shutouts in her debut season and a goals against average of 0.97. Leading the way offensively is junior Jackie Carron with 10 points, six of which are from assists. Prior to Sunday's game against the Illini, Michigan will play at Iowa on Friday evening.
• Illinois-Michigan Series: Michigan owns a 9-6-1 advantage over Illinois all-time, but has not won in Champaign since the 2000 season. Last meeting: Illinois 1, Michigan 0 (Oct. 5, 2008 in Champaign).
Senior Send-Off
The 2009 senior class of Courtney Bell, Brittany Garrett, Chichi Nweke and Jackie Santacaterina have already left an Illini legacy as they approach the end of their careers. Along with redshirt juniors Alexandra Kapicka and Christina Sahly, the class was ranked as the No. 9 recruiting class in the country in 2006 to mark head coach Janet Rayfield's top class in history. The seniors have a career record of 46-31-7 (.589) and helped the Illini to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 2006 and 2008.
Rayfield Approaches Milestone
Head coach Janet Rayfield is just one win away from her 100th career victory at Illinois, with an Illini record of 99-59-15 (.616). Rayfield is already the winningest coach in school history, as she been at the helm of the Orange and Blue program for eight of its 13 years of existence.
Masar Named To U.S. National Team
Illini alum Ella Masar was recently called up to the U.S. Women's National Team and will have a chance to earn her first national cap when the U.S. plays at Germany on Oct. 29. U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage chose Masar to replace the recently retired Angela Hucles on the roster.
Masar boasts international experience, as a past member of the U.S. U-23 and U-21 national teams. She has continued her soccer career with the Chicago Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer.
Masar starred for the Illini from 2004-07, earning All-America honors in her junior and senior seasons. She was the 2006 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and earned first team All-Big Ten honors twice.
Illini Approaching Top Attendance Mark
Illinois has a chance to have its highest attended season in program history this year. A total of 6,556 fans have come out to Illinois Soccer Stadium in 2009, with two home dates left to play this weekend. Illinois has had two of the top-10 crowds in school history this year, as 2,347 came out for SoccerFest against Minnesota (No. 2 crowd in program history) and 971 came out to watch the Illini take on UCLA (No. 9 crowd in school history). The Illini's average of 820 fans per game ranks third in the Big Ten. The Orange and Blue's top attended season was 2006, with a total of 7,261 fans.
Rock Solid Kot
Junior defender Danielle Kot is easily one of the most durable players on Illinois' roster, as she has not missed a minute of play since her freshman season. Kot has started at center back in all 59 games she has played in her career and has played the entire game in 41 straight games.
Nweke Looks To Continue Climb
Forward Chichi Nweke has already made her mark in the Illinois record books, and looks to continue climbing the charts in her senior season. Nweke currently ranks seventh in career points with 52, is tied for eighth in career goals (18) and tied for seventh in career assists (16). She also holds the school record for goals in a game with six other players, with a hat trick against Utah in her freshman season. The Virginia native scored her first goal of 2009 against No. 9 UCLA and played a season-high 75 minutes against Wisconsin.
Miller Makes Her Mark
Junior Krystin Miller is having a major impact on the Illini this season after playing a total of just 48 minutes in her freshman and sophomore seasons combined. Miller is in her first season as a center back, and is one of just four players to start every game this season. She is Illinois' penalty kick specialist, converting attempts against Iowa and Illinois State to have two goals on the season. She was also noted for her defense in August at the DU Invitational, as she joined teammates Jordan Hilbrands and Marissa Mykines on the All-Tournament Team.
Juice Gets Loose
Sophomore defender Julie Ewing, who goes by `Juice', had a career game against Iowa in leading Illinois to a comeback win. First, Ewing tied the match at 1-1 in the 27th, scoring her first career goal after finishing a cross from teammate Jackie Santacaterina. Then in the 42nd, Ewing made another run from the defense, sending a perfect cross to Laura Knutson to assist the game-winner. Ewing's three points in the match were a career-high. She has started all but one game this season at outside back, typically playing the entire match.
Knutson Comes Up Big
Junior Laura Knutson has become a sparkplug for the Illini off the bench this season, most evident in the win at Iowa. Knutson subbed into the match for the first time in the 39th and made an immediate impact, scoring the game-winner minutes later in the 42nd. She played just 28 minutes against the Hawkeyes, but was proficient offensively with three shots, all of which were on goal. Knutson has seen time as both a forward and a defender for Illinois this year.
Heroic Hilbrands
Junior forward Jordan Hilbrands has had a breakout 2009, with six goals on the season to lead the Illini. When Hilbrands scores a goal, the Illini are 4-0-0. She has also been the most accurate Illini, as 57 percent of her shots have been on goal (16 of 28 attempts). The junior tallied her first assist of the season against Minnesota and has 13 points in 2009.
Hilbrands has had multiple goal games twice, scoring two goals apiece in Illinois' wins against UC Santa Barbara and #18 Colorado. After her performance against the Buffaloes, the Bexley, Ohio native was named a Primetime Performer of the Week by CollegeSoccer360.com. Heading into this year, Hilbrands had just two career goals.
Illinois TV and Radio Broadcasts
Illinois soccer has received unprecedented exposure this season, with three games televised on the Big Ten Network and a total of nine games broadcast on WDWS AM 1400 (and also streamed on fightingillini.com). The Illini will play on the BTN for the third time this year this weekend, as Friday's match against Michigan State will air tape-delayed on Sunday at 5 p.m. CT. Illinois' matches against Minnesota and at Penn State were aired live on the Big Ten Network.
Tough Slate
Illinois may have put together its toughest schedule ever under head coach Janet Rayfield with its 2009 list of opponents. Ten of the 19 teams the Illini will face this season made the 2008 NCAA Tournament field, including College Cup participant UCLA and Portland, which advanced to the Elite Eight. In the current NSCAA rankings, Illinois has faced two of the top three teams in the nation in No. 2 Portland and No. 3 UCLA. In total in 2009, the Illini have faced six teams that appear in the current top-25.
Illinois In The Polls
Illinois was ranked as high as No. 11 by the NSCAA earlier this season, but dropped out of the top-25 after losing games against #2 Portland and Washington. The Illini were nationally ranked in the first five NSCAA polls and were the preseason pick to finish third in the Big Ten by the conference coaches.
Rayfield Coaches U.S. National Team
Head coach Janet Rayfield had a memorable July, as she served on the U.S. Women's National Team staff for its two matches against Canada on July 19 and 22. During that span, Rayfield served as an assistant under head coach Pia Sundhage, helping to train and evaluate the national team players. The U.S. won both matches against Canada 1-0.
All-Big Ten Performers Return
Six members of the 2009 Illini squad have earned Big Ten accolades in past seasons. Senior Jackie Santacaterina was named to the All-Big Ten second team in both 2007 and 2008, while junior Danielle Kot was an All-Big Ten second team selection last season. Senior Chichi Nweke was the 2006 Big Ten Freshman of the Year and named to the All-Freshman team the same season, while Kot, Laura Knutson and Cory Steigerwald were selected to the 2007 Big Ten All-Freshman team. Additionally, junior goalkeeper Alexandra Kapicka was named to the 2008 Big Ten All-Tournament team.
